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SHARP - Scottish Heart & Arterial Risk Prevention
site updated: March 2006
Risk Factors - Being Overweight

If you are overweight or obese, carrying this extra weight puts you at risk of developing many diseases, including heart disease.

Your doctor will be able to advise you on this and will let you know if your weight is likely to affect your health.

Some Health Centres run clinics to help with weight loss.

Are you overweight?

An easy way to assess this is by measuring your Waist and Hip Ratio (WHR) or calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI).

Waist Hip Ratio (WHR)

Most people store their body fat in two distinct ways.

  • Some store fat around their waist and can be described as apple shaped.
  • Others store their fat around their hips and are often described as pear shaped.

people who are apple shaped are at greater risk of heart disease and diabetes than those who are pear shaped.

How to calculate Waist Hip Ratio (WHR)

Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement at the widest part. Ideal waist-Hip Ratio should:

  • for women - 0.8 or less
  • for men - 0.95 or less

Body Mass Index

Body Mass Index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight, using standard or metric measurements. For example to use metric measurements divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres.

  • BMI = wgt in kgs
         Height in metres2

What is a normal BMI?

  • normal:           20 - 24.9
  • overweight:     25 - 25.9
  • obese:            30 or more

 

 

 

Risk Factors
Smoking
Alcohol
An unhealthy diet
Not enough exercise
Being overweight
High blood pressure
Stress
Cholesterol
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